Durant spoils Young's big effort

Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant reacts after scoring a 3-pointer in overtime of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, in Philadelphia. Oklahoma won 116-109. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

PHILADELPHIA – Thad Young added nearly 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason, probably for games like Saturday night’s. It helped, but only to a degree.

Young’s big-time effort at both ends of the floor was overshadowed by the one shot he couldn’t guard against. Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime, with Young’s hand wagging in his face, to lift the Thunder past the Sixers, 116-109, at Wells Fargo Center.

Asked if he would’ve done anything differently, Young shook his head.

Advertisement

“I probably would say no,” said Young, who had 29 points, 15 rebounds and four assists. “They see double-teams, triple-teams and they make tough shots every night.”

The Thunder rained 3s upon the Sixers in the extra session, led by Durant’s. Kevin Martin converted one in transition. That was followed by one from Russell Westbrook, the point guard-turned-gunslinger who tucked away invisible pistols after his trey, and one from Thabo Sefolosha.

The Thunder shot 2-for-16 from 3-point range in regulation, but 4-for-5 from beyond the arc in overtime.

Evan Turner had 24 points and Jason Richardson added 13 for the Sixers (7-6), who are on a two-game slide.

Richardson left the game in the second quarter after spraining his left ankle for the second time this month. He said he rolled it while stepping on Durant’s foot. Richardson said he hopes to be available tonight, against visiting Phoenix.

Fans were chiding Sixers coach Doug Collins for not sending out Richardson, who shot 5-for-7 from the field and 3-for-5 from 3-point range, to open the second half, and even late in the game.

“I wish we could’ve put a memo out to our fans who are coaching,” Collins said.

Durant poured in 37 points for the Thunder (10-4), which included attempting as many free throws (17) and making more than the Sixers (15) collectively. And to think Durant had been held to eight points in the opening half.

Obviously, the 3-pointer over Young was the icing on Oklahoma City’s cake.

“Great shot. Tremendous 3,” said Sixers coach Doug Collins. “We got the ball out of (Durant’s) hands a couple times there at the end of the game. Had a couple chances to win the game, and ours didn’t go.”

The Sixers evened the game at 98-all on a sweet set-up bounce pass from Holiday to Young with less than 90 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. And that’s where it stood, with Turner stealing an inbound pass intended for the Thunder’s Durant on the final play of regulation.

The Sixers missed five shots inside the final minute. The Thunder clanged their last seven.

“We got some of the shots we wanted and we didn’t convert on them. They went in and out,” said Holiday, who tied a floor record with 10 assists in the first half.

Playing the reigning Western Conference champions, the Sixers had their hands full from the beginning. Nonetheless, the Sixers used a 10-4 run to close out the first half, punctuated by the final play before intermission. That’s when Turner introduced Oklahoma City’s Kendrick Perkins to the crossover.

Turner broke Perkins’ ankles, cutting right to left for an uncontested jumper at the top of the key. The bucket cut the Sixers’ halftime deficit to one, at 50-49, and made for the loudest the Wells Fargo Center had been since Andrew Bynum was introduced as an indefinite spectator on opening night.

The Sixers picked up after intermission where they left off, as Young opened the third quarter with a jumper, giving the Sixers a 51-50 lead. Then Oklahoma City came away with points on 11 consecutive possessions.

No shots seemed bigger than those four 3-pointers in overtime, however.

“I think they finally just started making shots,” said Young, who had his fourth double-double. “When you give guys a lot of looks – a lot of open looks – you know they’re going to start lining the ball up and making shots. That’s what they did.”